Chinese Revolution in 20th Century

The collapse of the Chinese Imperial system in 1911 was an event that had been in the making since the mid 1850 s (Zedong pp. 213-4). Between 1850 and 1911 there were many uprisings and wars fought in China. These events compounded and eventually caused a Republican Revolution that forever changed the face of Chinese History (Franke pp. 189). This paper will attempt to explain the causes and events that led to the Republican Revolution of 1911

In the 103 days from June 11 to September 21, 1898, the Quing emperor, Guangxu (1875-1908) ordered a series of reforms aimed at making sweeping social and institutional changes. This effort reflected the thinking of a group of progressive scholar-reformers that had impressed the court with the urgency of making innovations for the nations survival (Zedong pp. 213-4). Influenced by the Japanese success with modernization, the reformers declared that China needed more self-strengthening and that innovation must be accompanied by institutional and ideological change (Franke pp. 189).

The imperial edicts for reform covered a broad range of subjects, including stamping out corruption, remaking the academic and civil service examination systems, restructuring the legal system, a makeover of government structure, defense establishment, and modernization of other government services (Franke pp. 189). These edicts attempted to modernize agriculture, medicine, and mining and to promote practical studies instead of Neo-Confucian orthodoxy (Zedong pp. 213-4). The court also planned to send students abroad for firsthand observation and technical studies. All of these changes were supposed to be brought about under a de facto constitutional monarchy.

Opposition to the reform was intense among the conservative ruling elite, especially the Manchus, whom in condemning the announced reform as too radical proposed instead, a more moderate and gradualist course of change. Supported by ultraconservatives and with the tactic support of the political opportunist Yuan Shikai (1859-1916), Empress Dowager Ci Xi engineered a coup d tat on September 21, 1898, forcing the young reform-minded Guangxu into seclusion (Zedong pp. 213-4). Ci Xi took over the government as regent. The Hundred Days Reform ended with the rescindment of the new edicts and the execution of six of the reforms chief advocates (Franke pp. 189). The two principle leaders, Kang Youwei and Liang Qichoa fled abroad to found the Baohuang Hui and to work unsuccessfully for a constitutional monarch in China.

The conservatives then gave full backing to the antiforeign and anti-Christian movement of the secret societies known as the Yihetuan, which means the society of righteousness and harmony. The movement had been better known in the west as the Boxers had (Franke pp. 189). In 1900 Boxer bands spread over the north China countryside, burning missionary facilities and killing Chinese Christians (Zedong pp. 213-4). Finally in June 1900, the Boxers besieged the foreign concessions in Beijing and Tianjin, and action the provoked an allied relief expedition by the offended nations (Franke pp. 189). The Qing declared war against the invaders, who easily crushed their opposition and occupied north China. Under the protocol of ...